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How do I use Intent Data (AI Data Stream) to find active buyers?

Written by Said Jrad

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR: ✅ Self-Serve / Both 
Stage: Onboarding / Setup 
Owner: Said
Last updated: 5/29/2026


Loom Video Guide: https://www.loom.com/share/01f2cb9db9e24e9996f5af991e16ca8e


TL;DR

  • Intent Data (also called AI Data Stream) shows you companies actively researching a topic you choose, updated every 24 hours.

  • Signals come from real activity: Google searches, video views, LinkedIn group joins, and more.

  • You can add topics manually, or let ListKit's AI pick them for you based on what you sell.

  • Use the People view to see individual leads inside those companies, then narrow with filters.

  • It's a useful buying signal, not a perfect one. Use it to prioritize, not replace, other targeting.
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Why this matters / When you'd use this

Most outreach tools let you filter by industry or job title. Intent Data goes one layer deeper, it shows you companies where someone has already been researching your topic in the last 30 days.
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That means instead of cold-targeting every marketing agency in the US, you're targeting marketing agencies where someone has recently searched for SEO tools, read about digital marketing, or joined a LinkedIn group around it. The signal is warm before you even send a word.
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Use this when you want to prioritize accounts that are already in a buying mindset — not just accounts that fit your ICP on paper.
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Short version (quick steps)

  1. Log in to your ListKit account.

  2. Click AI Data Stream in the top navigation.

  3. Add topics, either manually or using the AI search (describe what you sell, minimum 5 words).

  4. Review and adjust the AI-selected topics, then click Apply.

  5. Click People to view individual leads inside the matched companies.

  6. Narrow results using filters (job title, location, industry, employee size, etc.).

  7. Export when ready.
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Full detailed version

Step 1 - Access AI Data Stream

Log in to your ListKit account and click AI Data Stream in the top navigation bar.


Step 2 - Add your topics

There are two ways to choose topics:

Option A - Add topics manually

Click Add Topics and browse the full topic library. ListKit has 20,000+ topics available. Scroll, search, and select the ones most relevant to your offer.

Option B - Let the AI pick for you (recommended)

This is the faster approach. Instead of scrolling through thousands of topics manually:

  1. Click the AI search option.

  2. Type a description of what you sell. Minimum 5 words — for example: "We sell search engine optimization services" or "We provide outbound sales automation software."

  3. Click Search.

  4. ListKit's AI will scan all 20,000+ topics and return the most relevant ones.

Reviewing and editing your AI-selected topics

Once the AI returns its suggestions, review them before applying. You may see topics that don't quite fit — just click the X next to any topic to remove it, then click Apply.


Step 3 - Understand what you're seeing

Once your topics are applied, ListKit pulls all companies where someone has shown intent for those topics in the last 30 days.

What counts as an intent signal?

Intent signals come from real online activity, things like:

  • Conducting a Google search around the topic

  • Watching a video related to the topic

  • Joining a LinkedIn group connected to the topic

These are buying signals. Someone at that company is actively researching something in your space. It's not a perfect indicator, it won't tell you exactly who searched or what they'll buy, but it's a meaningful signal that the account is worth prioritizing.
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Data freshness: The dataset updates every 24 hours. New companies showing intent will appear the following day.
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💡 Note: Intent Data is currently available for U.S.-based companies only.
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Step 4 - View people inside the matched companies

Click People to load the individual leads within the companies that matched your intent topics.
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Depending on your topic selection, this can surface millions of contacts. Give it a moment to load, especially at high volumes. You can continue applying filters while it loads.
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Step 5 - Narrow your results with filters

Use the available filters to zero in on the right people inside those companies.

For People:

  • Job Title

  • Department

  • Seniority Level

  • Gender

  • Age Range

  • Income Range

  • Net Worth

  • Marital Status

  • Homeownership

  • State and City

For Companies:

  • Industry

  • Technology

  • Employee Count

  • Revenue

  • SIC Code

  • Domain or Company Name

  • State and City
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Step 6 - Export your leads

Once you're happy with your filtered list:

  1. Click Checkout in the top-right corner.
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  2. Choose your High-Value Fields:

    • Triple Verification Business Email (1 Credit)

    • Mobile Phone Numbers (US Only) (3 Credits)
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  3. Optional but recommended:

    • Exclude all emails from order history - avoids duplicating leads you've already exported.

    • Exclude do not call numbers - removes leads on the DNC list.
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  4. Set your lead count and click Confirm and Export.


Expected outcome

After completing these steps, you'll have a targeted export of leads from companies actively researching your topic, filtered to the exact people and company profiles you want to reach. The list updates daily, so revisiting every few days surfaces new accounts as they enter your intent window.
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Troubleshooting / FAQs

The results are taking a long time to load, is something wrong? No. With millions of records, loading can take a moment. You can add or adjust filters while it loads. Just be patient.
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Can I use this outside the US? Intent Data is currently U.S.-only. If you're targeting other geographies, use the standard B2B Search tool.
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Should I trust every company that shows up? Treat intent signals as a prioritization layer, not a guarantee. A company showing up doesn't mean they're definitely in-market, it means someone there has been active around this topic. It's a useful signal, not a confirmed hand-raise.
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My AI-selected topics don't look right, what should I do? Review the topics before clicking Apply. Remove anything that doesn't fit by clicking the X next to it. You can also add more topics manually from the full topic library.
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How often should I revisit this tab? Every few days is a good cadence. New companies are added daily as fresh signals come in.
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I need help building a list or setting up a campaign. Two options: click Book a Coaching Call in the bottom-left of the app, and a ListKit team member will build the list with you. Or click the chat icon in the bottom-right to reach the support team directly.
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